All That You Wish For
by Kuroneko19
Summary: "They say that any dream can be made true in exchange for something dear to you." - Aqua Mizuto; Zelgadis' search for a cure turns up with unforeseen consequences.
1. On the Road Again

_**Author's Note:**__ I've had this fic stored away for a little while and recently decided to give it a shot as well. Here, Zelgadis' obsession for finding a cure to his chimerism requires him to face harsh realities. For the most part this is a serious tale, but rest assured that there will be a happy ending. _

_Let me know what you think! Please remember: all questions, comments, constructive criticism, and/or suggestions are welcome! Thank you!_

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><p><em><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>__I own nothing from __**Slayers**__. I just like to write for fun. ^_^_

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><p><strong>All That You Wish For<br>**By Kuroneko

_So why care for these petty obsessions?  
>Your designer heart still beats with common blood<br>And what if you could have genetic perfection?  
>Would you change who you are if you could?<br>_– GraveRobber, _21st Century Cure_ (from _Repo! The Genetic Opera_)

**Chapter 1: On the Road Again**

"Of all the times that idiot had to go and get sick, why did have to be _now_?" Lina Inverse wailed off to the side as another blast sent a trio of highway robbers flying into the outer edges of the nearby forest.

There was a grunt, followed by a loud, "_Flare Arrow!_" From her spot on the wagon that had previously belonged to the assailed, Lina watched with only minimal satisfaction as the rest of the unlawful group scrambled as fast as their legs could carry them away from the figure in ivory that continued to hurl spells in their direction.

Zelgadis nodded to himself before walking back towards where the fiery sorceress fumed, his lips set in a thin line. "In case you haven't noticed, Lina, _I'm_ still here."

"Yeah, Zel, I know," she sighed miserably. "It's not like I don't appreciate you letting me tag along and all, it's just that…" She let out an angry growl and punched a fist into the seat. "I _really_ need somebody to punch right now! Gourry just _had_ to get _E. coli_ poisoning at a time like this! Damn him!"

Zelgadis Greywers let out an exasperated sigh and put a hand up to his head. A new restaurant that had opened in Atlas had automatically been bombarded by the Bandit Killer and her ever-present blond companion, the end result being that Gourry Gabriev had fallen ill with _Escherichia coli_ contamination, the effects not fully presenting themselves until they'd reached the Saillune Royal Palace. Zelgadis himself would never have heard about the incident until perhaps later, but at the time he'd been escorting his hopeless cure-hunting partner Aeron Guthrie back to the City of White Magic to pay Lina's cousin, Kyrie, a visit. No sooner had they reached the city, rumors of the palace sending a carriage to Taforashia to pick up the healer Sylphiel reached their keen hearing. Thinking something had happened to either Prince Phil or Amelia, they'd taken off like a shot in the direction of the palace, only to discover Lina threatening the staff with everything from a Fireball to the Dragon Slave after discovering Gourry's diagnosis from the court cleric.

Even with her healing abilities, Sylphiel was forced to admit that the disease would have to run its course; in the meantime, Gourry was confined to one of the guest rooms in the royal palace. This put Lina in the uncomfortable position of being stuck in Saillune for an indefinite period of time – a proposition that did not appeal in the least. And seeing as Saillune's Magic Guild was fond of administering battery after battery of exams, Aeron had made arrangements to help Ky study for the next week or two, leaving Zelgadis to his own devices.

At the time, it had seemed like a good idea, temporarily traveling on their own for a few weeks. He and Lina had come up with the plan the evening they'd all been brought back together: considering neither of them was much for staying in one place for an extended length of time, why not check out the newest lead he and Aeron had come across? The shrine in question wasn't so far away, and they would be away long enough for Gourry to feel better.

After running the idea by the others, it was agreed. Amelia was more than happy to let Lina loose from the confines of the palace if it meant keeping the servants safe, and Sylphiel agreed that as long as Zelgadis was traveling with the sorceress, "Dear Gourry" was be able to rest easier. Aeron had absolutely no problem with the idea if it meant more time spent with Ky (which was something Lina had teased him over incessantly until Ky herself put an end to it). A quick stop to let Lina say hello to her long-estranged younger relative, a few supplies, and the next evening they were well outside Saillune's walls and headed south.

That had been two-and-a-half weeks ago. It was only just the other day that Lina discovered she was going through the dreaded "time of the month", and things had abruptly taken a downturn when they came across the group of bandits Zel had just finished assaulting. He should have paid better attention when Gourry told him to keep an eye out on Lina – seldom did wisdom flow from the mouth of Gabriev, but this was one of those rare occasions.

Zelgadis truly had no problem with playing Lina's bodyguard. If anything, it was an interesting change of pace; the last time he'd "guarded" her had been back when he'd openly defied Rezo for the last time. This was just another cure hunt, but with the benefit of neither being alone nor being in the companionship of an inept demon chimera. It should've been nicer in his opinion. But when it came to Lina Inverse being unable to cast anything beyond a Lighting spell, woe betide the pitiful fools within her traveling entourage. Her wanting a punching bag was the least of his worries. The only reason she wasn't currently beating _him_ up was because she'd long since discovered that flinging a spell in his direction was far more effective.

Hence her current disposition.

"Well, by the looks of things I'd say that these bozos had gotten a hold of this wagon and were just going to have fun plundering it," he observed, glancing at the wagon in distaste. "Want to see if there's a reward out on it?"

His fishing for a way to divert her attention turned out to be a failure: rather than taking the bait, Lina instead jumped from her spot and shook her head. "Don't bother. The only things this wagon was carrying were cases of sherry from one of the kingdoms in Coastal Alliance, and they've drained it all dry." She sighed and waved her hand dismissively. "Let's just leave everything here and get going. I'm more interested in this shrine we're headed to."

With a slightly raised stony eyebrow, Zelgadis followed after her. Lina was definitely not in the right mood. He wouldn't voice it, but he was of the opinion that she'd a lot more on her mind than she'd admit to. With her cousin trying to regain twelve years worth of lost academic opportunities and now Gourry being inexplicably laid up with something that felled even the best of men, Zel had to admit that Lina was doing better than most people. But Lina not acting like her usual sprightly self was a bit disheartening. It was too bad that nature wasn't in the mood to be complacent, because blasting those bandits would have been good therapy for her.

Alas, Fate was not to be on the chimera's side, per usual. He could only hope that Lady Luck would eventually smile at him at some point on this journey.

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><p><em><strong>AN:**__ Unlike most of my in-universe stories, this one has no effect on other tales – in essence, an alternative timeline. The usual OCs will likely cameo appearances, definitely including the Controller of Destinies. Also planned to appear is Ascher Valazard, who so far has only been mentioned but has never actually shown himself. This is probably only the second story I have that involves him. Until the next chapter! _


	2. Mysterious Shrine

_**Author's Note: **__I love it when it rains – it makes me want to write even more. ^_^_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Mysterious Shrine<strong>

"Okay, Zel, tell me more about this shrine that you and Aeron found," Lina said after they'd walked along the main highway for a time. Her voice came out a little muffled as she chewed on a piece of sugarcane she'd acquired in a previous town.

"It's called the Shrine of the Controller of Destinies –"

A red eyebrow rose. "The Controller of Destinies? As in the Bringer of Fate?"

"Yes, at least that's what my understanding is." Zelgadis pulled his map from one of the dimensional pockets in his cape. "Believe it or not, Aeron actually had to fill me in on it."

"You're kidding." Lina gave him a disbelieving look. "Aeron actually knew something _you_ didn't?"

"Don't make it sound as if it hasn't happened before," Zel huffed, although inwardly he couldn't help but feel slightly jealous that the younger chimera happened to know a few things he didn't. "The only thing I know about the Controller of Destinies is that she's included in an unnamed summoning spell; Rezo was too consumed in his black magic studies for his eyes to bother with neutral entities. Aeron got his information from when he was studying under Reznik Kendall."

"It looks like that freaky professor just might have been good for something other than kidnapping and screwing with a person's genetic makeup," Lina remarked ruefully over her sugarcane, crimson eyes trained on the map. "Anyway, according to Aeron…?"

"According to Aeron, the Controller of Destinies is a being spawned from the Golden Chaos; supposedly born during the creation of the four worlds, she's an immortal entity who's forever bound to watch over Fate and chronicle the paths each of us walks on."

Lina bit off a bit of her sugarcane and spat it off to the side of the road. "Ky told me something about that. She said that the Controller of Destinies is also called the Bringer of Fate because she's able to manipulate the events in our lives and reorganize history if she chooses." She slid a suspicious glance in her companion's direction. "And just _how_ did you two wind up on this topic of conversation?"

"When we discovered this map." He tilted it at an angle for her to see it better. "We were in Taforashia when we found it. Inverness had come across a record of ancient shrines and saved a box full of the information in case we ever showed up."

"You're lucky he didn't give you a copy of the Monster Race's book of Christmas carols," Lina said, rolling her eyes. If there was one thing the Taforashian Court Philosopher was good at, it was inevitably screwing things up.

Zelgadis cleared his throat. "_Anyway_, we went through everything he saved for us, and we came across information regarding abandoned religious cults. According to the records, well before the War of the Monsters' Fall there were several shrines erected on this continent and going even out past the Desert of Destruction in dedication to the Controller of Destinies. But for some reason or another, her followers disappeared not long after the Monster Race's barrier was placed and a majority of the shrines were either destroyed or were abandoned and later fell into disrepair." He placed a grey-blue finger at a point on the map. "From what we were able to determine, the only nearby shrine currently in existence lies at this point. The state that it's currently in is questionable, but we figured it was worth a shot and asked Pokota if we could take the information with us. After he gave us his permission, though, Aeron got a letter from Ky and he decided to pay her a visit."

"Typical Aeron." Lina chuckled evilly. "But why bother looking into this particular abandoned temple? Do you think there's some kind of relic or ancient text that'll change your body back?"

"It's very likely." Zelgadis rolled the map up again and stuffed it back in the dimensional pocket. "From what the records indicated, the religious sect devoted to the Controller of Destinies had a method of providing direct communication to the Controller herself. Apparently those who desired to speak with the entity were able to do so when visiting one of the shrines. If the ability to communicate with the Bringer of Fate lies within the shrine itself, then maybe I'll be able to come up with something I can work with."

Lina flung the remainder of her sugarcane to the side and put her hands on her hips. "So you're just going to waltz right in there and use this so-called communication device to talk some deity into giving you your body back? C'mon, Zel, that sounds a bit far-fetched even for you. What happened to not liking to take unnecessary risks?"

She received a testy glance in return. "Lina, I spent almost an entire year in the Desert of Destruction and came back empty-handed. Considering the amount of research Aeron and I put into this, what makes you think that this shrine isn't legitimate? You try living in a body like mine for a day and I'm sure you'd be hunting down all possible cure leads just like I've been doing."

A white-gloved hand raised in protest. "Look, Zel, I'm not trying to tell you what to do, and I'm not saying the shrine isn't legitimate – I'm just saying that trying to get the Controller of Destinies to restore your body back to normal doesn't sound like a smart idea. Supposing this communication device is still intact and you get an answer? What happens if it's Xellos on the other end and he's just trying to drive you crazy like usual?"

Zelgadis opened his mouth to respond, but a familiar nasal voice from above beat him to the punch.

"Now, now… that wasn't a very nice thing to say, Miss Lina."

The two looked up in the direction of the voice. Zelgadis clenched his fists and gritted his teeth together. Lina gave the newcomer an evil grin.

"Well, speak of the devil." She gave a short wave and folded her arms. "Hello, Xellos. Long time, no see. Are you here on a social visit? Or is the Monster Race up to something again?"

The purple-haired priest sitting on one of the lower branches of a nearby tree continued to grin happily, his gnarled wooden staff cradled in his arms. "Actually, I was simply passing by on the Astral Plane and couldn't help but overhear your conversation." His Cheshire grin seemed to grow even more. "Tell me, Zelgadis: are you _really_ in search of the Shrine of the Controller of Destinies?"

"Why is it any of _your_ business?" Zel snapped. Xellos let out a low _tsk_ and wagged one finger in disapproval.

"Come, come, now. Is that any way to speak to an old friend who is simply concerned for your wellbeing?"

"Oh, right, like I'm going to believe _that_."

"Cut it out, Zel." Lina put a hand on his arm to restrain him from flinging an attack spell in the monster's direction. She gave the Trickster Priest a suspicious look. "Don't you have somewhere you have to be _other_ than here?"

A finger went up in the air. "Now, Miss Lina, _that_ is a –"

"_There_ you are!" Xellos never had a chance to finish his trademark comeback as a female figure phased in just behind him and seized him roughly by the collar, causing the monster to let out a squawk. "Honestly, Xellos! Lord Beastmaster gives you an assignment and then you go and take off!" The newcomer dropped the priest unceremoniously back onto his rump and kneeled down next to him. "What did you have me come with you for if you were just going to pay a social call?"

Xellos looked over his shoulder and rubbed his neck gingerly, the signature grin still plastered on his face. "Now, Miss Jiima, it isn't like that at all! I was merely on my way to get you when I happened to overhear Zelgadis state that he wishes to visit the Shrine of the Controller of Destinies for his cure hunt."

"Yeah, right, and I'm the queen of – Wait, did you say the Controller of Destinies?" Electric blue eyes blinked behind silver frames and slid from Xellos to the duo on the highway. Upon recognizing who they were, the girl's face lit up. "Hi, Miss Lina! Hi, Zelgadis! How have the two of you been?"

"Uh... hi, Jiima," Lina greeted her with a hesitant wave, eyeing the sprite warily. "What are you doing here with Xellos?"

The Astral Sprite known as Jiima rolled her eyes. "Contractual obligations," she said ruefully, pulling her sleeve down to reveal the whirlwind and firebird image branded into the inside of her right arm. Lina already knew from previous events that Xellos had the same brand on his left arm. "He told me he needed help with something, and so I had to drop what I was doing and go with him." She shot the grinning priest a sour look before turning her own grin at the two travelers. "But enough about me; how are you two doing? I don't see Mr. Gourry or Aeron anywhere, so I assume you're on your own?"

"Yeah, Gourry got _E. coli_ poisoning and Aeron had to help Ky with her exam studies, so they're both in Saillune at the moment," Lina said casually, still leery of the inhuman duo on the tree limb. Jiima on her own was relatively harmless in a manner of speaking, but the fiery sorceress was in no way willing to test the parameters of the sprite's contract with Xellos and his master. "Zel and I are on our way to check out this cure lead he and Aeron found in Taforashia."

"And from what I overheard, he intends to visit a shrine dedicated to the Controller of Destinies," Xellos supplied helpfully.

Jiima shot him a dubious glance. "You guys aren't really going there… are you?"

"Uh, yeah," Lina said, now even more leery. "How come?"

"Well… it's just that I've heard about the Lady of Fate, and from what my dad used to tell me when I was growing up, she can be pretty temperamental about some things," the sprite said slowly, sitting cross-legged next to the priest. "If you go in there and start demanding things, you'll probably only make her angry."

"I quite agree," Xellos said, earning himself a disbelieving glare from Zelgadis.

"Why should either of _you_ care what I'm doing?" he demanded, now fully ready to send a Ra-Tilt in Xellos' direction whether the sprite was next to him or not. "Didn't you just say you have an assignment to do?"

Lina rolled her eyes and looked up at the two in irritation. "Look, Xellos, if you have something to say to us, just get it over with. I'm not really in the mood to deal with you _and_ Jiima today."

"_Heeeey_…" Jiima whined, only to be cut off by Xellos.

"There's no need to concern yourselves," said the Trickster Priest. "As I stated before, I was only passing by when I overheard your conversation. It's no concern of _mine_ where your cure hunt takes you –" _'Well, not __**entirely**__,'_ he added to himself. "However, if it is truly the Shrine of the Controller of Destinies you seek, it's still a two day's journey in that direction." He pointed the orb of his staff down along the road to where a mountain range lay in the distance. "I would recommend, however, that you proceed with caution."

"And why is that?" Lina inquired. When _Xellos_ gave a warning there was cause for concern.

"Because the remaining shrines dedicated to the Bringer of Fate supposedly still retain most of their magical properties," he explained. "During the time the shrines were still operational, visitors seeking audience with Controller of Destinies would often emerge as different people, some said to be hardly recognizable. From what has been observed in the past centuries, many of those properties may still be effective even now."

Despite his disdain and utter loathing for the monster, Zelgadis couldn't help but feel excited by the information. If what Xellos said was true to a point (and thinking back to the situation concerning Taforashia, Zelgadis was forced to believe that such was the case), then there was a chance that this lead wasn't a total dud after all.

Lina, on the other hand, wasn't quite so eager to accept the priest's word. "And just _why_ are you being so generous with this information?"

"As I stated before, it was simply out of concern for a friend."

"I don't buy it. What's the _real_ reason for you showing up, Xellos? And don't you _dare_ say –"

"That's a secret."

Lina let out an irritated groan as the Trickster Priest cackled at getting the last word in edgewise.

"Well, Miss Jiima, I believe we ought to get to that assignment now," he said, grabbing the sprite by the wrist and eliciting a sharp protest in regards to personal space. Ignoring the glare he was receiving, he grinned down at the sorceress and the chimera. He gave them a wave with his staff and promptly teleported both himself and Jiima from their spot in the tree.

"I _hate_ it when he pulls that line!" Lina growled. Oh, what she would have given just to have flung one measly Fireball in Xellos' direction…

"Never mind him, let's just keep going," said Zelgadis. "If what Xellos says is true, then we have two more days left until we reach the shrine. Let's just see how far we can get before we call it a day."

"Fine… fine…" Lina gave a dismissive wave of her hand and proceeded to follow. Ordinarily she would have walked ahead and taken absolute command of the situation, but this was one of those rare occasions when menstrual cramping overthrew any attempt at being her usual self.

And unlike Zelgadis, she wasn't so willing to simply accept the surprisingly free information Xellos had handed out. When he divulged anything, he usually left out the important parts for fun. The Trickster Priest was by no means a liar, but he never told the absolute truth, either.

Anyone who believed otherwise was a fool.


	3. Uncertainties

**Chapter 3: Uncertainties**

Lina blinked incredulously. She wasn't certain what exactly she'd been expecting, but a tiny little shrine made of rotting wood covered with vines and wild flora was _not_ it.

"_This_ is the Shrine of the Controller of Destinies?" she snorted. "You've got to be kidding me!"

Zelgadis gave her a dry look. "Since when did appearances account for anything? Some of the most derelict of tombs and temples held the world's greatest treasure."

"Gee, looks who's talking," Lina shot back, mentally attaching the word "hypocrite" to the end of her retort. The chimera chose only to glare in response.

Xellos' word had proved true: within a span of two days they'd reached their destination with time to spare, the run-in with the Trickster Priest and his companion now long forgotten.

But now that they were here, Lina had to wonder if it had really been worth all the effort. From previous experiences, she'd know Zelgadis to have targeted large temples and ruins littered with complicated traps and protection spells; grandiose sealed ruins and echoing libraries were more his style. To find that her friend had stooped to the equivalent of a rundown shack to find his cure was less than appealing.

Not for the first time, she questioned his sanity.

"Are you _sure_ this is the right place?" she ventured again, hoping just this once that he'd gotten them lost. She couldn't put her finger on it, but this tiny little shrine was suddenly beginning to unnerve her a little. She'd have taken an abandoned castle any day.

Zelgadis sighed and pointed. "Look up there." She followed the path of his finger and squinted. "Do you see that symbol hanging overhead? Just before you enter the vestibule?"

Crimson eyes followed along until finally resting on a worn image that looked like an orb with swirling clouds. "Yeah, I see it."

"Good. Now look here." She tore her eyes from the entry and looked down at the map where Zel was pointing. "If you look carefully, you see that the two symbols are identical. According to the information Aeron and I gathered, this is the symbol that was used to indicate a shrine dedicated to the Controller of Destinies. Which means –"

"This is it." Lina slapped the palm of her hand against her forehead. Great. Just great.

"Greetings, my friends. I trust you have made a long journey." Their heads snapped up at the sound of a light and pleasant voice. Descending from the long wooden stairs leading up to the entrance of the shrine was a woman of medium build, her long chestnut hair cascading over her shoulders and shining in the thin streamers of light that came through the dense foliage overhead. Light hazel eyes gazed upon them gently, and her pale blue robes made a light swishing sound as she walked.

"Please, do not be alarmed," the woman continued, offering them a timid smile of straight white teeth. "My name is Aislynn. I am a maiden of this shrine, and the last remaining servant here. May I please ask your names?"

"I'm Lina Inverse and this is –"

"My name is Zelgadis Greywers." Lina was abruptly cut off. She shot the shaman an angry look, but he paid her no attention. "Tell me: is this the Shrine of the Controller of Destinies?"

The pearly whites dazzled brilliantly in the dim setting. "It is indeed, Master Greywers. This is one of the few remaining shrines built in dedication of the Bringer of Fate."

"Just how old is this place, anyway?" Lina asked.

"The exact age of this shrine is unknown," Aislynn admitted. "As far as ancient records indicate, these shrines have existed long since before the War of the Monsters' Fall. Aside from that, I know nothing further." She looked between the two of them inquiringly. "Have either of you need for assistance?"

"Yes," Zelgadis promptly responded. "I wish to have access to the communication link I've read these shrines possess."

Aislynn's smile dropped a smidgen. "You wish to speak with the Lady of Fate?"

Lina caught the caution in the woman's voice; Zelgadis, for all his cure-hunting enthusiasm, obviously hadn't.

"Yes. Do you have the method to contact this deity?"

Aislynn continued to smile, although it now came across as a bit strained. "Yes, this shrine is capable of such a thing; all of the shrines dedicated to the Lady of Fate were constructed with this purpose. If you wish to speak with our patron deity, I will show the way." She turned and gestured to the shrine. "Walk up this stair and through the vestibule. I will take you to the entrance of the oratory. There, you will find what you seek."

Without hesitation, Zelgadis moved forward. He swept past Aislynn with a purpose, the shrine maiden stepping back into the creaky railing to allow him to pass. When Lina made to follow, however, the chestnut-haired woman quickly moved in her way.

"With all great respect, My Lady Inverse, I must ask you not to follow. In accordance with the laws passed down in this shrine, only those wishing to speak with the Lady of Fate may pass through; none else are allowed to enter."

"Can't I just take a look inside?" Lina demanded, trying to get past.

Aislynn was just as adamant in her efforts to halt the fiery redhead. "No, My Lady, you may not. The laws of this shrine are firm: none may pass save for those who serve and those seeking guidance. That is all. Please, do not force me to take drastic measures."

One look into those hazel eyes told Lina that Aislynn meant business. She bit back a curse – without her magic back to its usual potential, there was no way she could block any attempts the shrine maiden could likely make to subdue her. Contrary to what many around her believed, Lina was not _totally_ inclined to blast first and ask questions later.

"Fine, whatever. I guess I'll just stay here then," she said after a moment's thought. _'Probably isn't anything worthwhile in there anyway.'_

Aislynn relaxed. "Thank you. And now, Master Greywers…" she turned and gestured towards the shrine. "You may proceed."

Zelgadis turned to smirk smugly down at the silently fuming sorceress at the bottom of the stairs. This was his chance to get back at her for all those times she'd ruined his efforts at finding a cure. Especially when she'd gotten to see the Claire Bible – since then, Zelgadis hadn't come across a single manuscript.

He supposed he had Xellos to thank for that.

**…**

The oratory of the tiny shrine was just as aged and worn as the exterior. As he looked around, Zelgadis could make out every last cobweb and dust bunny littering the room illuminated by the torches lining the walls and the overhead lantern. If it wasn't for Aislynn, he'd have assumed this place long since abandoned.

"I thought this shrine would have been –"

"Cleaner?" Aislynn chuckled behind him. "Unfortunately, I am seldom found at the shrine these days. Very few people recognize the Lady of Fate as a proper deity anymore, and consequently have no desire to confer upon her the proper respect and recognition. Nowadays, the shrine is a haven for vagabonds and beggars; not in well over thirty years has anyone wished to pay their respects."

That made sense. As far as Zelgadis knew, the only deities known to the general populace anymore were Shabranigdo and Ceipheid, as well as the Dark Lords and Dragon Lords. Even there, however, not everyone had been accurately informed. It was rare anyone knew the names of _all_ the Dark Lords – Deep Sea Dolphin and Dynast Grausherra, having been relatively inactive since the War of the Monsters' Fall, were the easiest to forget.

"Please continue to towards the back, Master Greywers," Aislynn's voice pulled him from his ruminations.

Without looking back to see if she still followed him, Zelgadis strode tentatively but determinedly to the back of the oratory, all the time careful to make certain the creaking old floorboards would support his weight. That embarrassing experience of Lina using him as an anchor once upon a memory had only made him even more cautious in his explorations: just as he'd always feared, the golem within him had increased his body mass in addition to giving him heightened body defenses.

It just made him hate Rezo – and maybe even to some extent Lina – even more.

He shook himself mentally before asking over his shoulder, "Is this it?"

He placed a hand on the door in front of him and cast a glance back.

Aislynn nodded, her face partially in shadows from the dim lighting. "It is. Beyond that door lies our source of communication with the Lady of Fate. From here, you must go alone."

Zelgadis frowned at her. "And just how am I supposed to operate this device? Certainly _you_ know how to."

The grin she gave him reminded Zelgadis strongly of Xellos with the way the flickering illumination from the wall torches fell upon those straight white teeth. "Operation of the communication source is an unnecessary concern, Master Greywers; it is no issue. However, according to the laws of our temple, only the one who wishes to contact the Lady of Fate may enter past this point. When one desires an audience with our deity, none else may enter."

Her answer only made him more suspicious. "Why is it so imperative that only one person at a time gain admittance?"

That haunting grin increased. Zelgadis forced himself to wave aside the sudden unease that crept over him, telling himself that it was only the bad lighting and warped floorboards that made him uneasy.

"Because, Master Greywers," she said softly, "_privacy_ in these matters is a very important thing. What living being would want their innermost desires exposed to prying eyes and listening ears?"

"Well… you have a point…" he didn't know why, nor did he care to admit it even to himself, but his being in the shrine was beginning to feel like a mistake.

'_Maybe Xellos and Jiima were right…'_ He shot that thought down immediately. He'd been through far more dangerous and intimidating settings than a derelict old shrine. And choking down the idea that _any_ advice from Xellos might've been remotely _good_ advice didn't sit well at all.

It was just a tiny shrine, and Aislynn appeared to be about as dangerous as Sylphiel and her Flare Arrows. There was absolutely nothing he had to be nervous about. It was just another cure hunt.

He took one more look at the door with the swirled orb engraving and carefully pushed it open, the door itself creaking on ancient hinges. A blast of mildew and rot hit his nose full-force, enough to make him choke back the gag reflex that kicked in. he pulled the cowl over his mouth and nose and gave one finaly look back at Aislynn before stepping over the threshold.

She sent another serene grin in his direction and nodded. "Go ahead, Master Greywers. I will close the door behind you and rejoin your lady friend on the outside. Please take all the time you require."

"Thanks," he grunted, and continued into the main room, eyes narrowing to adjust in the darkness as Aislynn close the door.

**…**

Lina bopped her dim Lighting orb about absentmindedly she sat at the foot of the stairs, occasionally blowing random strands of hair out of her face as she did so.

For once in her life, she was bored. Zelgadis actually gained into a place instead of her – in many ways, she considered it an insult. How could _anyone_ deny the Sorceress Supreme access into something as rare as a shrine dedicated to Controller of Destinies? There ought to have been a reprimand in order for this.

But, while the standard tirade droned on in the back of her mind, Lina couldn't help but wonder why she even bothered being indignant. The shrine was eerie, but she doubted it held any kind of treasure in it. That, and…

She didn't know why, but there was a tiny portion of her that was actually _grateful_ for being stuck outside while Zel went to go check up on his cure lead.

She blamed part of her unease on Xellos' abrupt appearance two days before reaching the shrine. The Trickster Priest never revealed himself to them unless he had something going on or was privy to information that would eventually lead to her and her friends' unintended involvement. Deception and manipulation were Xellos' specialties – even Lina had fallen prey to it on more than one occasion.

But it still bothered her, what little he'd revealed. And Jiima agreeing with him didn't make the fiery sorceress feel any less reluctant to remain near the shrine.

"_During the time the shrines were still operational, visitors seeking audience with Controller of Destinies would often emerge as different people, some said to be hardly recognizable. From what has been observed in the past centuries, many of those properties may still be effective even now."_

Lina's brow furrowed. What had Xellos meant by "different"? Different in appearance or actions?

"_Well… it's just that I've heard about the Lady of Fate, and from what my dad used to tell me when I was growing up, she can be pretty temperamental about some things. If you go in there and start demanding things, you'll probably only make her angry."_

Given Zelgadis' unrelenting insistence that, despite the Red Priest's hinting to the contrary, a cure existed and his tendency to let his one-track mind take over his rationality, Lina could only hope that he didn't do anything stupid enough to anger a deity. Even a virtually forgotten one.

"My Lady Inverse?" the Lighting orb went out with a _pop_ as Lina turned around to find Aislynn descending from the shrine's main entrance.

The shrine maiden offered the sorceress a warm smile and slight bow. "Master Greywers is currently within the official chamber awaiting to speak with the Lady of Fate. Would you care for any refreshments while you await his return?"

"Nah, I think I'll just sit here, if that's okay."

"Of course. As you wish." Aislynn bowed again. "In that case, may I join you while you sit?"

Lina gave her a careless wave. "Yeah, sure. Go right ahead. Knowing Zel, this could take a while, so having someone to talk to would be great."

"Thank you."

As Aislynn arranged her robes to sit, Lina couldn't help but notice how insanely clean the woman was. Given the state of the shrine and the ruggedness of the forest around it, how was it possible that she kept her robes such a crisp light blue?

She shook the questions away from her head and summoned another Lighting orb to bop around. Her magic might not have been back to its usual standard, but at least she had enough of it back to keep herself occupied.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:**__I got the inspiration for the shrine based on the Japanese Taisha-zukuri style of Shinto shrine, the oldest style actually, and takes its name from Izumo Taisha, one of the most ancient and important Shinto shrines in Japan. The shrine I'd been thinking of particularly is the Soga-no-Yashiro. I was looking at the various shrines that were built using that style, and that particular shrine captured my attention. ^_^ _

_Until the next chapter!_


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